Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival by Velma Wallis

as when she was young, but with something that looked more like a limp than a jog, Sa’ was able to pursue the large animal. A moose can outrun a human any time unless, of course, there is too much snow. But on a snowless day like this, the moose sprinted far ahead as Sa’, gasping for breath, barely caught a glimpse of his large hind-end disappearing behind the brush. The big bull stopped many times, almost as if he were playing a gamewith Sa’, and just when she almost caught up, he would saunter far ahead once more. Normally, a moose will run as far as he can from any predator. But today, the moose did not feel much like running, nor did he feel threatened, so the old woman was able to keep him in sight. She was stubborn and would not give up, although she knew that she was outmatched. By late afternoon, the moose seemed to grow tired of the game as he watched her from the corner of his dark round eyes, and with one flip of his ear he began to run faster. Only then did Sa’ admit to herself that there was no way she could catch it. She stared at the empty brush in defeat. Slowly she turned back, thinking to herself, “If only I were forty years younger, I might have caught him.”
    It was late that night when Sa’ returned to the camp where her friend kept watch by a large campfire. As Sa’ sank wearily into a bundle of spruce boughs, Ch’idzigyaak could not help but blurt out, “I think many more years were taken from me while I worried for you.” Despite the admonishment in her voice, Ch’idzigyaak was deeply relieved that no harm had come to her friend.
    Knowing that she had been foolish, Sa’ understood what her friend had been through and she felt ashamed. Ch’idzigyaak handed her a bowl of warm fish meat and Sa’ ate slowly. When a little of her strength returned, Sa’ told Ch’idzigyaak how she spent the day. Ch’idzigyaak smiled as she envisioned her friend chasing the long-legged bull, but she did not smile too broadly for it was not in her nature to laugh at others. Sa’ was grateful for that, and then, remembering the cranberries, told her friend about the great find and they both were cheered.
    It took a few days for Sa’ to recover from her adventure with the moose, so the two old women sat still and wove birch bark into large round bowls. Then they went back to the hill and gathered as many berries as they could carry. By that time, autumn was upon them and the nights became chillier, reminding thewomen that there was no time to waste in gathering their winter wood supply.
    They piled wood high around their cache and shelter, and when they cleared all the wood from the area around the camp, they walked far back into the forest, packing in more bundles of wood on their backs. This went on until snowflakes fell from the sky, and one day the women awoke to a land shrouded in white. Now that winter was near, the women spent more time inside their shelter by the warm fire. Their days seemed easier now that they were prepared.
    Soon the women fell into a daily routine of collecting wood, checking rabbit snares, and melting snow for water. They sat evenings by the campfire, keeping each other company. During the months past, the women were too busy to think about what had happened to them, and if the thought did cross their minds, they blocked it out. But now that they had nothing else to do in the evenings, those unwelcome thoughts kept coming back until soon each woman began to talk less as each stared thoughtfully intothe small fire. They felt it was a taboo to think of those who had abandoned them, but now the treacherous thoughts invaded their minds.
    The darkness grew longer, and the land became silent and still. It took much concentration for the two women to fill their long days with work. They made many articles of rabbit-fur clothing such as mittens, hats, and face coverings. Yet, despite this, they felt a great loneliness slowly enclose them.

CHAPTER 6
Sadness among The People
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